Infants are typically swaddled after being born using a small light blanket. Swaddling an infant simulates the infant being inside the uterus of the mother, and typically comforts the infant so that the infant will rest and sleep.
There exists a need for a device configured to be easily and conveniently used to wrap around and hug the infant for providing comfort and a feel of security to the infant. This particularly important for colic infants, reflux infants, and drug withdraw infants.
The positioning aide or infant hugging and comforting device should be designed or configured to comfort such newborn infants, reflux infants, colicy infants, and drug withdraw infants. Infants are comforted by being held with arms wrapped around them. The infant hugging and comforting device should “re-create” or stimulate the baby being held, and optionally can be provided with vibration to provide additional comfort to the infant. The hugging and comforting device will aide in the infant getting to sleep and rest since it will sooth the infant as a comfort measure. The hugging or comforting device should be designed or configured so that the infant can be swaddled in a thin blanket, or can also be used without swaddling.
The advantages of an infant hugging and comforting device compared to just a “swaddling blanket” is “re-creating” or stimulating the arms of a human holding and comforting the infant as well as the option of vibration so that the infant can be put to sleep or held while using same. A regular blanket can be used to swaddle the infant but there is no “hugging” or “vibration” comfort that can be provided by the infant hugging and comforting device.
Medically for the reflux or drug withdrawal infant the goal is to get the infant calmed enough to be able to rest and be comforted. The reflux infant cries a lot due to being uncomfortable. The infant hugging and comforting device can be offered for these infants, and the vibration option as well for an added comfort measure. The parents may hold the infant and offer a pacifier if they wish until the infant goes to sleep. The infant may then be put down to get some rest in the infant hugging and comforting device. Infants have also been willing to go right to sleep with the infant hugging and comforting device without being held.
The drug withdrawal infant is most of the time inconsolable due to the withdrawal affect. The infant hugging and comforting device can be offered to these infants as a comfort measure. These infants seem to be comforted by the infant hugging and comforting device, and the vibration it offers. The goal for these infants is to get the infant into their dark, quite room for rest, not in the middle of a nursing unit being held by a nurse where it is bright and can be loud.
The positioning device or infant hugging and comforting device will allow the infant to rest more, be more comfortable, and will enable these infants to grow, eat better, and neurologically develop better.